End Users Voice Servicing Concerns
(Douglasdale, South Africa/Southern Africa Treads) What do our customers think of us? More importantly, how do they rate our service levels?
Dealer Debate: Tires Only Or Tires & Service?
In the world of independent tire dealers, there are two primary ways to conduct business: Sell tires and wheels only or sell tires and wheels plus full-blown automotive service. In recent years, there have been debates about which format fits today’s marketplace best. Here are two views offered by veteran tire dealers and the organizations
Fast Forward with Ambitious Cooper Asian Forays
(India/Rubber Asia) For Cooper Tyre & Rubber Co., these are days of great challenges: Making the ambitious China foray successful, attempting a turnaround in the U.S. operations, capitalising on the growing European and Australian operations and getting a foothold on the premium segment, to name a few.
Shops in Crisis? The Tech Shortage: A Special Report: Part II
In our August issue, we began an in-depth look at an issue that has been described as one of the automotive aftermarket’s biggest hurdles: attracting qualified technicians and preventing an industry-wide shortage that, some insist, is inevitable. While most experts agree that a shortage does exist, it appears to be centered at the highest, most
Now 50, Interstates Moved America Into Another Lane
(Akron/Tire Review – Washington Post) There were no Wal-Marts in 1956, no Ramada Inns or Best Westerns. Cross-country travel most often meant the railroad, and only about two-thirds of adult Americans had a driver’s license.
Globalization: Can We Survive the Onslaught?
(Douglasdale, South Africa/S.A. Treads) Never before has the trend of Globalization been more acutely felt. In the context of the tyre industry, Globalization began almost a century ago, when manufacturing giants such as the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. began establishing operations outside of its home base, the U.S.
Winter Harvest: Dealers Can Plant the Winter Tire Seed All Year Round
It wasn’t too long ago that some in this industry were ready to declare the winter tire dead. Popular in Europe and Canada, sales in the U.S. had been, at best, flat for the previous couple of winters. A few suggested that advances in standard passenger and performance offerings were enough to cope with slush,
What Really Matters: Tire Dealers Can Uncover Profits by Redirecting Their Focus
Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of serving some of the best tire dealerships in the U.S. and Canada. Last year alone, we coached more than 1,000 tire dealerships. The majority of the owners wanted something to change. They could identify exactly what it was but could not move it by
10 Easy Ways to Boost Sales
Here’s something you may not know: American consumers spent $46.2 billion on tires and other auto accessories in 2002, the last year in which the U.S. Bureau of Economics has accurate numbers. That figure may sound impressive, but the Bureau also reported that Americans spent even more than that on shoes. The point: Don’t take
The Ties That Bind: How Do Successful Tire Dealers Cope When Home and Work Collide?
What if your boss is Mom or Dad? What if your closest, most trusted business partner is your brother or sister? Do you need a psychiatrist’s couch or a punching bag? Or maybe – just maybe – you don’t have a problem working with and living with relatives 24/7/365. In fact, what if just the